By Naomi Tsuang
Online News Editor
Mira Costa Computer Science and Robotics teacher Aaron Braskin presented updates on Costa’s four computer science courses and new Principles of Engineering course and made several proposals to improve the courses on June 1 at the Manhattan Beach Unified School District Board of Trustees meeting.
Currently, the four computer science classes available for students to take include Advanced Placement Computer Science, Human Centered Design, Introduction to Programming and Introduction to Robotics. Next year, the Principles of Engineering course, which the board approved at its Feb. 3 Board meeting, will be the first engineering class that Costa will offer for students.
Braskin is working on four-year pathways in both Engineering and Computer Science for students to take starting in their freshman year. In order to expand opportunities for students interested in engineering, Braskin also proposed the creation of a Technology and Engineering Department at Costa.
“I think that it’s pretty clear that the world is changing permanently in such a way that technology and engineering are an integral part of daily life,” Braskin said. “Costa claims to support science, technology, engineering and math. We have a Math Department, we have a Science Department and we have an Art Department, but we don’t have a Technology and Engineering Department.”
At the meeting, Braskin said that not many teachers are qualified to teach Computer Science because they often do not have enough experience. MBUSD Board Member Bill Fournell suggested possibly hiring Southern California Regional Occupational Center teachers to teach the Computer Science and Engineering courses since SoCal Roc teachers have backgrounds in both their field and in education.
“I thought [the presentation] shared relevant information that was beneficial for the board to hear. Much of it was previously unknown by the board,” MBUSD Board of Trustees President Ellen Rosenberg said.
The board asked MBUSD Superintendent Dr. Michael Matthews to give a follow-up report on possible teacher support from SoCal Roc, University of California designations for computer science courses and more information regarding the Technology and Engineering Department. It will be a topic of discussion at Tuesday’s board meeting if enough information can be gathered in time, Rosenberg said.
“I think it’s a little premature to expect that we are going to have a Technology and Engineering Department any time in the next few years,” Braskin said. “It will take long-term planning.”
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